Who does he look like?

I really don't know...but I know he's changing...and I think he might just be a little more Wilkins than Guerra. For example- the nose. It's like a hybrid between my sister Sheena, my sister Kyra & my dad.  The eyes...they might be Guerra.  The hairline...maybe Chad?? :) Anyways, who knows!  But it sure is fun to see him grow, even in just these last few weeks.  Can't wait to see who he'll become!    

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Messy eaters

I don't have any particular thing to blog about.  Just takin' pictures off my camera tonight.  Picking out the keepers.  Filing them away in a folder on my desktop marked "4/12".

These two pictures made me smile.  Both of my boys are messy eaters- one boy with remnants of breast milk dried on his little cheeks, the other boy with spaghetti and chocolate chips caked all over on his face & hands.  Thank goodness for oxyclean & bleach pens!
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Third time's the charm...

that is, the 3rd time...and 4th.

Okay, I know I said I was done, but I couldn't resist trying one more time.  Chad was home.  The baby is always sleepy in the morning...or so I thought.  We headed down to my photography room.

An hour later he'd peed on my backdrops and me twice and was wide awake.  I hadn't even gotten one picture!

I vowed to quit.  Then he fell asleep again.  So we made another attempt at pictures.  I swear, I felt like I was engaging in a power struggle with this baby!  He peed another two times and then made his grand finale by pooping all over a wrap and the lighter backdrop seen below.

Needless to say, I don't think it's good for our relationship for me to be his photographer.    
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Max's first photo shoot

I know people always say it's harder to photograph your own kids...I just didn't think that'd apply to a newborn! This felt like my hardest newborn photo shoot yet...but I'm sure that it didn't help that Liam woke up from his nap just as I was beginning to shoot pictures of Max.  I hope to have another shot at some pictures of Max, but we'll see.  My mommy frustration might win out and this may be as good as it gets!

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Easter 2012

Liam's first experience with the easter bunny (I think he thought we were crazy trying to persuade him outside so early in the morning).
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That afternoon we met at my sister Sheena's house for enchiladas and an easter egg hunt.
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Max is born!

Wednesday night, I had a friend bring me dinner. I hadn't had a baby yet and I protested, but she said that if she did, I'd go into labor. I didn't suspect it'd really work! (Kerri- you purposely made that homemade salsa extra spicy, didn't you?! haha)

12:30 am- I wake up with some slightly painful contractions. Out of habit I reach for my iphone (I have an app that times contractions). Timing begins. 
5 minutes apart. 
4 minutes apart. 
3 1/2 minutes. 
3 minutes...3 minutes...3 minutes. 
I wake up Chad. Chad doesn't believe me. I get up and begin to gather my things. Chad believes me. 
Text Sheena. Sheena comes to our house to stay with Liam. 

1 am (ish)- We arrive at the hospital. I'm nervous that they'd tell me this is false labor again. They check me. I'm dilated to a 5. I'm still nervous I'm in false labor. (With Liam, I'd been begging for an epidural at a 5. This pain was still maneageable). 

2 am (ish)- We take to the hallways walking. 

2:50 am (ish)- Dilated to a 6. They call Dr. Meents. Yay! It's official! This is not false labor! Oddly, the pain is still manageable.  

4:30 am- Still tolerating the pain, but feeling a little nauseated. They order the epidural. 

5 am- I receive an epidural. Heaven! 

6:30 am- Still dilated to a 6...almost a 7. The contractions are slowing up since receiving an epidural. 

7:30 am (ish)- Dr. Meents breaks my water. 

Contractions still don't pick up. They give me a small amount of pitocin. 

10:26 am- Max Hyrum Guerra is born! 7 lbs. 10 ounces. 21 1/2 inches.


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Saturday attempt

We actually tried to get our "general conference pictures" after the Saturday conference sessions, but we didn't realize the park closed at 6. We got there at 5:54. I scrambled to set up my tripod before the park lady came to kick us out. Needless to say, we had to come back the next day. But I did snap these two pictures of Liam which I think are adorable!  To cute to keep tucked away on my computer!
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General Conference Pictures

This past weekend was general conference.  Like many of you that listened to it, there were a few talks that I needed for me.  What a great blessing to be able to hear from the prophet and the apostles every six months!
And true to tradition, our semi-annual "general conference pictures"!
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If you can't tell- Liam loves dandelions (especially making us blow all the seeds)!

Now, completely unrelated to the above pictures, I just wanna share a little of what's been in my heart.  The Lord is continuing to teach me through this waiting period.  And if you don't mind, I'm just gonna do a quick copy & paste from my journal (because I'm too lazy to rewrite what I've been learning).

"Well, I'm still pregnant despite continuing contractions.  And the Lord is still continuing to teach me through this experience.

The last few days I've thought about the onset of labor and the second coming.  I don't know when this baby will come, but my body is saying it  will be soon.  Similarly, I don't know when the 2nd coming will be, but the signs of the times indicate that it too will be soon.  

A little while ago, Chad had a patient that made some remark to him along the lines of, 'Aren't you afraid to bring kids in this world?'.  And this patient went on to talk about how scary things lie ahead with the 2nd coming being so imminent, etc.  Chad's response was something along the lines of how he look forward with hope to the future and how good things also lie ahead.  I've thought about that patient every once in a while.  How sad to look at the future with such a perspective!  

But maybe I'm more like this patient than I'd like to admit.  You know, my anxiety to have this baby sooner than later has built up again.  I've tried to remind myself to 'be here until I'm not', but sometimes it's hard not to get excited for the arrival of this baby.  I can't wait to see him!  At other times, I get nervous about the pain of childbirth that awaits me.  'Will I make it to the hospital in time for an epidural?  Will I be strong enough to handle the pain if I don't?  Will I be one of those ladies moaning & screaming in pain as her husband speeds away to the hospital?'  

I've thought about the similarities with the 2nd coming.  We look forward to the coming of Christ, yet at the same time, we have to continue living in the present.  "Be here until we aren't".  It can also be easy to get a little scared when thinking about the difficult times that are prophecied to come.  There's all that stuff in the book of Revelations or the command to be prepared with a year supply.  What awaits us?  What's going to happen before Christ actually comes again?  Will it be terribly painful?  Can I endure the pain?

Well, my conclusion with childbirth and the 2nd coming is this-  I've been trying to remind myself to find joy in the present and not always look forward to some future event (although those future events will be joyous).  Yet, I've strived to be prepared.  Every day I make sure my house is in good order (who wants to bring home a sweet new baby to a messy house?!).  Everyday I get myself ready (I wanna look as presentable as possible for pictures).  I have my bag for the hospital packed and a bag for Liam ready.  I've made all the necessary arrangements with the hospital and with family to watch LIam & be at the birth.  I'm ready.  

In what ways is my "house in good order" for the coming of the Lord?  What am I doing to make my spirit beautiful?  What things do I do daily to prepare for the coming of the Lord?  Prayer…scripture study…taking time to commune with the Lord and to be in tune with his spirit by having times in my day where I'm not preoccupied.  All things I've been pondering.  

Well, this morning Chad, me and Liam had our family scripture study.  We're in 3 Nephi 29.  Guess what it talks about.  Yep.  Things that will happen prior to the 2nd coming.  Among other things it says this- "…and ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming unto the children of Israel".  At the time of reading our scriptures as a family, I didn't think much of the content. 

After Chad left for work I flipped the tv on.  It was still on BYUtv- Discussions on the Pearl of Great Price was playing.  I was originally going to flip the channel to Disney to preoccupy Liam, but I paused.  This would be a good way to start out my day.  Man was I surprised to hear them comparing the 2nd coming to a pregnant woman that knew her time to deliver was soon!  I listened intently.  They discussed things that I'd been thinking already regarding the 2nd coming of the Lord.  They also talked about how Christ has said he will come as a "thief in the night", but this is more for those in the world who aren't prepared.  For those that are prepared, they will be like the pregnant woman that knows her time is soon and is watching and waiting for the signs that she's ready to deliver.  

As the scripture discussion came to a close, one of the commentators shared one last scripture.  DC 51:17, "And the hour and the day is not given unto them, wherefore let them act upon this land as for years, and this shall turn unto them for their good."  The exact scripture that I'd come across just a few days prior!  Coincidence.  I think not.  

I'm sooo excited for this baby to come…but until then, I'm so grateful that the Lord is teaching me these priceless lessons through this waiting period."